The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1887-10-20
COST OF RAISING WHEAT IN DA-
KoTk.

KoTA.
Mr.. Frank Wilkesop, the noted
oewsparer correspondent, in letter
10 the New York Times from Cas-
selton, ID. T., tersely aud clearly con-
Riders the wheat problem. as follows;
| have, while on this tlip, carefully
examined the great Northwestern
wheat field, which includes Dakota
au" .i,-''oha. | bad read 20 much
aoout tue regiou 'rrinp the seven
years last past, and abou, ..he re-
markably able management Of the
soscalled bonanza fayms, that was
surprised to find ;hat the methods
of cultivation, Of harvesting, and Of
management gen orally, are inferior
to those employed 10, cay Kansas.
The reputation Of the bonanza far-
mers has been wholly made by the
newspaper CORE spondents. The
Advantages they bave over the cnlti-
vators Uf tho Southwestern fields
are, first soil aud climate that arc
more favorable to the perfect de-
velopment of the wheat plant Sec
ond, freedom from chinshbugs,
which insects are the curse of the
Southwestern fields third, cheaper
transportation.
tr,.,, t. " ebIprn all.
""' .easiuily mos, Tho ,ndian
competition which annually grows
moro and moro severe That is a
hard question TO answer. But after
u careful examination into the re-
sources Of The field answer that !
believe he can. Even if the Indian
wheat growers adopt our methods
Of cultivation and handling the crop
there is figure, which represents
the cost Of production, below which
they can not go. And the fact thnt
the virgin sol! of the Northwest is
the best wheat land as yet discover
ed in tho world s undisputod. Aud
| think that the superiority Of our
SOIL and the consequent greater
yield Of higher grade grain, will fnl-
ly Offset the lower wages paid to In
dian wolkmon.
To the figures. Here is tebu-
lated statement of the cost of rails
ing twenty acres of wheat on the
George q Howe farm of four thous-
aud acres, near this town, which is
by far the most intelligentlY man,
aged Of all the bonanza farms
Seed 90
Four Gays blowing with gdngplow 8 90
One day harvesting aud shocking 4 10
IWine",......,..,.,,,,' w
Hauling wheat, threshiug l6 90
Hauling bundles, threshiug ","...2i 90
Fifteen extra hands, thrcshiug .".3O 90
Total for twenty acres"..".".Sl $40 81
Cost Of one e............,..,......,....,0 ~
If the yield is twenty bushels per
aero it costs 26 cents per bushel. II
the yield is twenty-five bushels pei
acre tho costs per bushel will be Fl
cents If the yield is thirty bushels
tho cost per bushel will be II cents
rhe cost of horse fee d, and wear and
tear, and all farm expenses are in'
cluled in tho table of cost, but in
terest on the Investment is not in
cluded.
This year Mr.. Howe's fields vii
average twenty-five bushels pei
acre. lie has in more favorabl,
years averaged thirty bushels, Thes'
figures | took from his farm accoun
books, aud they fairly represon
what can be done by inielligen
management on large areas o.
Northern Dakota lands. The cos
of this wheat laid down in New
York would bo as follows
Cents
Cost at farHl.,,.,..,,.,....."...
Freight from Casselton to Duluth,..l
Freight from Duluth to Buffalo. .o....
Freight from Buffalo to New York.,
Elevator arges....""".".......
Cost per bu-hel in New York;. A
With wheat selling in New Yorl
at 60 cents per bushel Dakota far
mor Of Mr.. Howes intelligence an
executive ability could mako q prof
Of IL cents bushel.